He also stated that Ryanair hopes to receive its first Max200 aircraft sometime between January and February 2020, and the amount they receive could rise, or fall further, depending on when the B737 MAX actually returns to flight services.

"Uncertainty over Boeing 737 MAX aircraft has shattered Ryanair's 2020 planning", Wilson said in a note.

Europe's largest budget airline has cut its growth forecasts for next summer, now expecting to carry 3% more passengers, down from its previous 7% forecast.

Since it can only take delivery of between six to eight planes each month, Ryanair said it was now planning its summer 2010 schedules based on taking up to 30 737 MAX aircraft deliveries up to the end of May 2020.

It is in talks with airports over which loss-making bases will be affected and is set to consult with staff and unions over the planned "short-term" cuts and closures for winter 2019 through to summer 2020.

Despite Tuesday's setback, Ryanair said it remained committed to orders of up to 210 new Boeing 737 jets, including 135 MAX 200s.

The airline said the shortfall in aircraft deliveries will mean "some base cuts and closures" for the winter and next summer, and it has started talking to airports to identify which underperforming or lossmaking bases to shut from November.

Last week it was announced that Peter Bellew, Ryanair's chief operations officer, is stepping down from the group at the end of December.

Ryanair's plans will cut its aircraft to 30 from 58 by next summer, passenger traffic growth is now forecast at around 157m for the year to March 2021, down from 162m as previously expected.

"Management say they will be basing schedules for next year on having about half the MAX planes they thought they would have".

It emerged this week that a 737 Max aircraft due to be delivered to Ryanair had the name Max dropped from the livery, fuelling speculation the manufacturer and airlines will seek to rebrand the troubled plane once it is given the all clear to fly again.

Southwest Airlines said on July 1 it expected to keep its Boeing 737 MAX jets off the flying schedule beyond the current Oct.1 re-entry date.

The carrier said it expects the model to be approved within two months of 737 returning to service.

If Boeing and the FAA had done their jobs properly, he said, "these planes would have been grounded in November and today I would be enjoying summer with my family, I would be playing football with my son".

"Boeing is hoping that a certification package will be submitted to regulators by September with a return to service shortly thereafter".

More than 300 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 passenger planes were taken out of service after two fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, within 5 months, killed 346 passengers.